Encouragement

The Bible is not just a book with words on pages—ideas, stories, myths, or legends. It is the Word of God, written for our benefit to live life to its fullest.

Jesus, quoted the Word of God many times. Many times He would say to the Pharisees and Sadducees: “Have you not read?” In His confrontation and temptation with Satan, His one response was, “It is written.” He was quoting from Deuteronomy, confronting the three temptations. When it came to the devil and the religious spirits of the day, He did not engage them in debate or arguments; He spoke the written Word of God. The only way for us to deal with the tempter and his many temptations and schemes is to speak to him what is written. It is astounding to me that when Jesus spoke—it is written—the devil had no comeback, but tried a different way, intensifying his scheme. He was prepared to find a way to take Jesus out at any cost, to find a place in Him. Jesus, who is our example, demonstrated to us how to deal with the temptations of the devil. He simply spoke, confessed, believing the written Word of God.

In Hebrews, it is written that every Word is inspired, God-breathed, given to Holy men of old. Not just some of the words, not something that you can pick and choose according to our lifestyles. Every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God is to be adhered to, believed, and confessed. Let it be known to each of us that the Scriptures cannot be broken and only the traditions of man and his religious deceptions make the Word of God of no effect.

This is what Jesus spoke to the religious spirits in the leaders of His day. It is vital in every generation to receive, believe, and confess the Word of God that is able to bring us by faith into spiritual maturity—growing up in Him. Hallelujah!

-KC

“the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” – ‭I John‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬-‭7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

The importance of walking in the light and fellowship—this is where the blood cleanses us from all sin. It is continual, the blood and fellowship, starting with the Father and Son, and our abiding in them.

Hallelujah for the blood.

Oh precious Is the flow, that makes me white as snow ❄️ no other fount I know nothing but the blood of Jesus.

-KC

Photo: “The Blood of Jesus Christ” by Thomas Hawk is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.

We are to trust in the Lord with all our hearts as the scripture says. In this passage, David gives us the truth and why we should. He says, “The Lord is good.” We have heard many times in songs, messages, and from believers, “God is good.” Yet when we face things that we see as trouble, we doubt and question. He goes on to say He is our stronghold in the day of trouble. 

STRONG-HOLD, n. [strong and hold.] A fastness; a fort; a fortified place; a place of security.

Webster’s 1828

We are His children protected and surrounded by Him as in a fort. A stronghold is a place of refuge. In another place it says that the righteous run into the name of the Lord, a strong and mighty tower. In the time of the settlements of the wild west, settlers lived outside of a fort and when trouble came they loaded up the wagon and took refuge in the fort. When we encounter trouble, we run to Him and take refuge in Him.  We keep putting our trust in Him and Him alone, knowing we are secure.

We can say we trust in the Lord with our mouths, but at the sign of any trouble do we take refuge in Him? Do we trust Him that He is providing us safety? He knows who trusts in Him by how we respond. We think of Him as all-knowing, but when it comes to trouble, doubts creep in and we do not always take refuge in Him immediately.

He knows if we say, “I trust you Lord, You are in control,” if our heart is all in trusting Him.

Trust Him with all your heart, all your mind, all your might, and strength…with everything in us.

Keep trusting Him. He that keeps us neither slumbers or sleeps. He is willing and able. Hallelujah!

-KC